8th Annual Powell River Kayak & Canoe Regatta
Saturday April 26, 2025
Registration is Now Open
The 8th Annual Powell River Kayak & Canoe Regatta is a 12-mile race on the scenic Powell River in NE Tennessee beginning at the Well Being Retreat Center and ending at Riverside Rentals. The event is a production of the Claiborne County Chamber of Commerce and the Claiborne County Tourism Commission. All net proceeds of the race will benefit the Powell River Blueway Trail Project, an effort of the Claiborne County Tourism Commission to improve public access to the Powell River for paddling and fishing.
There will be eight race categories and a "recreational" category for those who are not all that competitive.
Last year, 120 boats participated. We expect at least tht many this year.
Camping and Meals
The Start Line for this event is at Well Being Retreat Center. We are a licensed Campground and have a mowed pasture along the river for tent camping , six AT style sleeping shelters, and full service bathrooms. We offer Friday supper and Saturday breakfast. More information below.
Volunteer for this Event
Last year, 78 people generously volunteered to make the Regatta happen. Lots of help is needed: lunch prep, parking, registration, truck transport of boats and people, helping people out of their boats at the finish line, race timing, starting line crew, etc. On Race Day, breakfast, lunch and a Regatta tee-shirt will be provided for Volunteers. This is a fun time, a worthy cause, and a chance to meet a lot of great people.
Again this year, Laura and Mike Pallos will be coordinating the event. They have been coming to events at Well Being for years. They are very personable and do a great job coordinating this event.
Contact LauraPallos@gmail.com or call her at 863-699-6435
to let her know you will be available to help out with this year's
Regatta on Saturday April 26th..
About the Powell River Blueway Trail Project
All Net Proceeds from the Regatta go to the Powell River Blueway Trail project, an endeavor by the Powell River Tourism Committee of the Claiborne County Tourism Commission to improve public access onto the Powell River for fishing and paddling. The Powell River winds through rural NE Tennessee for 114 miles and is one of the two major rivers feeding Norris Reservoir. The Blueway Trail project has received a $50,000 grant from the Tennessee Dept of Economic and Community Development and a $15,000 grant from the Tennessee Healthy Watersheds Initiative to create online mapping, install signage, create a web presence, and to promote the Powell River Regatta. Seven new public access sites have been created or improved with assistance from TVA, Tennessee Wildlife Resources (TWRA), Tennessee Dept of Forestry, the Tennessee Dept of Transportation, and The Nature Conservancy.
About the Powell River
The Powell River is a Class 1 (easy) paddling river originating in SW Virginia. It is one of the two largest free-flowing (un-dammed) rivers in Tennessee and "one of the most biologically diverse rivers in the US" according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). The Powell River (together with the Clinch River) support more Federally Endangered species of fish and freshwater mussels than any other river in the US. A few of these species are found nowhere else in the world.
Since the river has no upstream dams, flows are entirely dependent on precipitation in the upstream watershed. In the 16 years we have been at Well Being Retreat Center, we have seen flows as low as 300 cubic feet per second and as high as 30,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). In past Regattas, flows have varied from 450 cfs to 2,400 cfs.
The Powell has a nice mix of slack water in deeper holes, swift water and the occassional ledge to navigate.
Camping Next to the Start Line
Well Being Retreat Center is a licensed campground. The extensive fairly level mowed pasture along the river is available for tent camping ($25 per person per night) There are nice men's and women's bathrooms with showers nearby, picnic tables, outdoor grills, potable water. Well Being Retreat Center will serve supper the night before the Regatta in the Main Conference Building and a full service hot breakfast the morning of the Regatta at the Powell River Pavilion - a short walk from the Start line.
The Friday night supper ($15 per person) will be spaghetti with organic locally produced beef, green beans, garlic bread, organic green salad with celery, carrots, and cukes, and "Chocolate Creme de Pot for dessert. Served at the Main Conference Building.
Saturday breakfast ($10) will be scrambled organic pastured eggs, oatmeal with nuts and raisins, and bagels with teas and Starbucks coffee . Breakfast will be served at the Powell River Pavilion.
If you have any questions about accommodations or meals offered during the Regatta please contact patty@WellBeingCC.org or call her at 423-626-9000..
Please register with Well Being Retreat Center for accommodations (lodging and meals) using the form below:
After you have "Previewed" your Registration form, scroll again to bottom of page to "Submit" your registration. You will then be redirected to PayPal to make payment for your Accommodations. Payment may be made using your credit card or your PayPal account. You do not need to set up a PayPal account to make this payment.